Restaurants in Newton

High-backed booths, flickering candles, and minimalist red and black accents lend a sleek style to Osushi's intimate setting tucked inside the Westin Hotel. Chefs slice fresh fish to rest atop or inside sushi rice waiting to be plucked up by chopsticks. Their specialty makimono rolls draw from world cuisines with spicy aioli to add a dash of heat or prosciutto to lend an aria from the chef's favorite opera. Diners wash down bites of sashimi or tempura with selections from an extensive sake list, which includes specialty drinks made with seasonal fruit.

Rock Sugar's dinner menu combines creative and healthy Thai dishes made fresh to order before patrons' peepers, from pineapple fried rice to papaya curry. Prior to diving into a main dish, you and your date can stretch jaw muscles with one appetizer each, with options ranging from crispy vegetarian spring rolls (a $5.95 value for four) to a platter of seven spicy wings (a $6.95 value). Both members of your twosome may select one of Rock Sugar's creative takes on noodle dishes (an $8.95 value) or fried-rice dishes (an $8.95 value). Intriguing rice dishes include the crab-meat fried rice and the pik pow fried rice, and noodles curry introduces diners to yellow egg noodles simmering in a mild curry sauce.

The culinary wizards at Lil Vinny’s Ristorante silence growling stomachs with a multifaceted menu of toothsome Italian fare. Now kicking off the kitchen's steady parade of aromas starting at 11 a.m., a new lunch menu debuts deliquescent paninis ranging from eggplant parmigiana ($9.95) to the Sloppy Joey ($9.95), which lets midday munchers live dangerously as they try to keep its mix of bolognese, pancetta, and fontina away from work shirts or lab coats.

Family owned and operated since 1969, Johnny D's has hosted some of the music industry's biggest names in its intimate, 300-person venue, with past performers such as the Dixie Chicks, Levon Helm, Widespread Panic, and Wilco gracing the stage. Upcoming performers include Fab Four tribute band Beatlejuice on July 17, and a Real School of Music student showcase on July 1, featuring keyboardist Greg Hawkes of The Cars performing a set of the band's classic tunes. Each concert has a cash cover charge at the door, and advanced tickets are available for some shows. With this deal's door-fee card, you'll get access to $50 worth of Johnny D's shows, allowing you to draw inspiration from seasoned musicians for your long-in-the-works Wade Boggs rock opera.

Saturated with bold North Indian flavor, Bukhara Indian Bistro's vast variety of veggie-filled dishes comprises a mammoth menu of authentic Indian eats. Sup on savory standards, such as vegetable samosa ($2.99) and garlic naan ($2.99), before delving into more daring delights. Specializing in Mughlai Khanna (the food of the Mughals), north Indian chef Joginder Cheema lavishes saffron, cashews, and raisins over cubes of tender meat in the lamb biryani ($13.99). The vegetarian-friendly matar paneer features homemade cheese with green peas in a bath of curry sauce ($8.99), perfect for naan dipping or cross-cultural piñata filling. Lunch is served buffet-style, between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and offers diners an array of Indian dishes from which to choose.

Each item on El Pelón's menu is rammed completely full of fresh ingredients, tongue-punching spices, and authentic garnishes. Drop in for a rotundly satisfying carnitas quesadilla (slow-braised pork sandwiched between jack cheese and tortillas; $3.50) and a side of fried plantains ($3.95) before returning to your dust cloud of fighting cartoon characters, or double up on your face with tacos de la casa such as El Pelón's twin cornmeal-breaded pescado tacos ($6.50), stuffed with spice-infused cod, arbol-chile mayo, limed onions, pickled cabbage, and cucumbers. To fight the good appetite fight and look dashing whilst doing so, grab onto a mighty El Guapo ($6.50)—the house's famous signature burrito—bursting at the seams with grilled steak, Mexican rice, black beans, fried plantains, jack cheese, fire-roasted salsa, lettuce, and authentic crema. All of El Pelón's showstoppingly spiced toppers are available as sides, enabling mad-scientist diners to experiment as liberally or as conservatively as they like with the bounteous beauty of El Pelón's celebrated flavors. To make your mouth feel even more Mexican without the hassle of chewing a sombrero, wash it all down with Mexican Coca Cola, made with cane sugar instead of fructose, or some Jarritos soda (both $1.75).